Alien826
No religious beliefs
Tipping ... giving extra money to someone despite having already paid for the goods or services. (Not turning things over).
I'll start with an acknowledgement that this is a very emotional subject for many people, particularly wait-staff. No offense is intended, and I hope you will see that what I am suggesting would be better for "tipped" people in the long run.
Traditionally, tipping was an acknowledgement of service beyond the normal standard and consisted of relatively small sums of money. Now it seems to be expected, and the amount to be tipped is also laid down, how I'm not sure. According to some, bad service is not a reason to withhold or reduce a tip!
I'll list a number of things I consider to be wrong with the whole practice. I'll refer to wait-staff as an example, though of course there are many more jobs that involve tipping.
1. Technically, my relationship with a server is not that of employer. That status belongs to the restaurateur. In other words it is not my responsibility to ensure that the server is properly paid.
2.The level of tip that is "proper" is not clear. Once 10% was the level. Now it's crept up to 20 or 25%. How is this information disseminated? Good question, I don't have an answer. Should I tip on the cost of the food? Food plus tax? If delivered, food plus tax plus delivery fee?
3. Why is the amount of the tip determined by the cost of the food? Surely it takes a similar effort to serve a hamburger as to serve a steak? Or to pour a $20 wine as $100 wine?
4. This seems to have been a ploy by employers to pay as little as they can and expect the customer to make up the difference. I see why they like it, but I utterly reject their suggestion that I should play my assigned part in their little scheme. I do tip, and at the suggested level mostly, though quality of service does influence the amount I pay. I do it because I am trapped in a catch-22. If I pay I'm supporting the system, but if I don't someone gets less than they should earn.
5. One reason I hear for tipping is that it is necessary to get good service. Rubbish! When I worked as a programmer, I did a good job as a matter of pride, and knowing that if I didn't I would suffer in some way. No tips were ever offered. And my salary was determined and paid by my employer, not the recipient of the products I created.
Now, to the alternative.
It's very simple. Restaurants should pay a living wage to their employees and recoup that expense through the price of the food. If they want to present it as some kind of "service charge" I guess that's OK, I have some misgivings, but so long as the living wage comes first I'll not argue.
Before someone says it, I recognize that changing the system would be a huge task.
That's it. Comments please. Be polite, I intend to.
I'll start with an acknowledgement that this is a very emotional subject for many people, particularly wait-staff. No offense is intended, and I hope you will see that what I am suggesting would be better for "tipped" people in the long run.
Traditionally, tipping was an acknowledgement of service beyond the normal standard and consisted of relatively small sums of money. Now it seems to be expected, and the amount to be tipped is also laid down, how I'm not sure. According to some, bad service is not a reason to withhold or reduce a tip!
I'll list a number of things I consider to be wrong with the whole practice. I'll refer to wait-staff as an example, though of course there are many more jobs that involve tipping.
1. Technically, my relationship with a server is not that of employer. That status belongs to the restaurateur. In other words it is not my responsibility to ensure that the server is properly paid.
2.The level of tip that is "proper" is not clear. Once 10% was the level. Now it's crept up to 20 or 25%. How is this information disseminated? Good question, I don't have an answer. Should I tip on the cost of the food? Food plus tax? If delivered, food plus tax plus delivery fee?
3. Why is the amount of the tip determined by the cost of the food? Surely it takes a similar effort to serve a hamburger as to serve a steak? Or to pour a $20 wine as $100 wine?
4. This seems to have been a ploy by employers to pay as little as they can and expect the customer to make up the difference. I see why they like it, but I utterly reject their suggestion that I should play my assigned part in their little scheme. I do tip, and at the suggested level mostly, though quality of service does influence the amount I pay. I do it because I am trapped in a catch-22. If I pay I'm supporting the system, but if I don't someone gets less than they should earn.
5. One reason I hear for tipping is that it is necessary to get good service. Rubbish! When I worked as a programmer, I did a good job as a matter of pride, and knowing that if I didn't I would suffer in some way. No tips were ever offered. And my salary was determined and paid by my employer, not the recipient of the products I created.
Now, to the alternative.
It's very simple. Restaurants should pay a living wage to their employees and recoup that expense through the price of the food. If they want to present it as some kind of "service charge" I guess that's OK, I have some misgivings, but so long as the living wage comes first I'll not argue.
Before someone says it, I recognize that changing the system would be a huge task.
That's it. Comments please. Be polite, I intend to.
